the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Thing is, being "partially vaccinated" is of little use nowadays, especially with regard to the latest variants. Only ca. two weeks after the second vaccination does maximum protection develop. So "90% of people vaccinated at least once" is a pretty meaningless marker for judging the efficacy of Covid vaccination.
Sure, maximum protection here is still not 100% protection, which has never been claimed. But it's still far more than the level of protection after one jab.

"COVID: Lambda Variant Is Now In 29 Countries,
But What Evidence Do We Have That It’s More Dangerous?"

There are no published studies on the lambda variant and just a handful of preprints – papers that have yet to be subject to the scrutiny of other scientists (peer review) and published in a journal.

https://medicaladvise.org/news/covid-la ... dangerous/



Muller's ratchet

Asexual reproduction compels genomes to be inherited as indivisible blocks so that once the least mutated genomes in an asexual population begin to carry at least one deleterious mutation, no genomes with fewer such mutations can be expected to be found in future generations (except as a result of back mutation).

This results in an eventual accumulation of mutations known as genetic load.

In theory, the genetic load carried by asexual populations eventually becomes so great that the population goes extinct.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muller%27s_ratchet

Guess for "this" virus the theory is wrong..

Sure, maximum protection here is still not 100% protection, which has never been claimed. But it's still far more than the level of protection after one jab.

Recently, Covid-19 reached a few homes for elderly people here. A few elderly were infected, but as all were fully protected, no one became seriously ill. The vaccine works just fine.

Interesting website with US infections and deaths by state.

Assuming the data is accurate, deaths are way down.

It appears we’ve gotten a lot better at treating the disease.

Good news all around really.

https://usafacts.org/visualizations/cor ... pread-map/

At this point I think parts of the government, and media, are simply stoking hysteria for hysteria's sake.

The data is pretty clear that fatalities are down 8 to 10 fold from a peak of 3-5k/day to something like 350/day now. The medical system was not overloaded then and it will not be now.

The harping on cases versus deaths is pointless. All the supposed mitigation efforts essentially failed to include those idiotic masks people insisted on wearing. It is now an endemic disease. Even if the country averages 500 death a day permanently it would only be something like the fifth, or sixth, leading killer in a year.

It is simply time for people to get on with life.

Well, again, the clear complaint that the doctors and nurses are making is about the exponential rise in hospitalizations, not just the number of positive results. They also say that workers are quitting, and that there is a shortage of nurses and staff.

fatalities are down 8 to 10 fold from a peak of 3-5k/day to something like 350/day now.

Just like last year: the number of hospitalizations is the issue. 99% of the people hospitalized are unvaccinated. The major surges in the number of cases are happening where there are the lowest levels of vaccination. It is predictable that the unvaccinated will be the incubators for all the new variants, and most of the present cases are of the Delta, not the Alpha (original) virus. (It's also true that vaccinations are increasing in those areas). And, just like last year, the numbers today (of whatever) are predictors of future numbers if things remain unchanged. People said that it only affected the elderly, now most of the hospitalized are younger, and even children.

In Michigan, iinm, some families were asking that the coroner remove covid from their relative's death certificates. I saw a video with a guy in the ICU. His little boy was looking at him through plexiglass. The guy said he had been against taking the vaccine. When asked why, he said, "We're a strong, conservative family." He knows why he didn't get the vaccine, and it wasn't because of the science.

Anyway, if someone didn't believe it before, and act accordingly, then they won't now. That's inevitable. Yep, people are dying to get back to normal. However, I'd recommend pretending that it's still a pandemic. Hey, if someone is vaccinated, this is moot. Tucker, Marjorie, and Matt won't admit whether they've been vaccinated, but they freely question the need for it.

People may not be quite sure yet of the long term effects of the vaccinations.

That have not been FDA approved.
Issued under "emergency usage"
manufactures are immune from any litigation actions due to side effects that may be caused by them.

FDA may authorize unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions caused by CBRN threat agents when certain criteria are met, including there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.

https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedn ... horization

They could not issue an "emergency usage" for the vaccinations if there are other means of treating the virus...

This might help to explain the reluctance to use known pharmaceuticals shown to mitigate the effects or symptoms, and laws or directives issued preventing a common practice called "off use" of well established drug therapies used for other issues.


Borders

Negative COVID-19 test required for all air passengers coming to the United States

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents) to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days. Airlines must confirm the negative test result or proof of recovery for all passengers two years of age and over prior to boarding. Airlines must deny boarding of passengers who do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... tion1.html


Except of course those illegally crossing the southern border.

Taiwan Travel Advisory
Travel Advisory
June 16, 2021Taiwan - Level 3: Reconsider Travel

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... isory.html



Taiwan has very strict protocols in place.

Effective May 19, 2021:
Non-Taiwan nationals without a valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) will be temporarily barred from entry.

Exceptions may be made for individuals who obtain entry permission for emergency or humanitarian reason.
More information can be found here.

Transit travelers will be temporarily barred from entry.

Effective June 27, 2021:
In response to the spread of Delta variant, Taiwan has strengthened quarantine measures. More information can be found here.
Home quarantine is no longer an option.

Depending on your departure and transit country, all individuals are required to complete a 14-day quarantine at group quarantine facilities or quarantine hotels.

https://www.ait.org.tw/covid-19-information/

As I said, if someone is vaccinated, their arguments against this vaccine are moot. But, there are many vaccines, including Russian and Chinese (PRC). Currently, 4 billion doses of vaccines have been administered globally.

Again, unvaccinated people are 90% of the people who are hospitalized today. That's the problem that needs to be solved today.

Peacedog wrote:At this point I think parts of the government, and media, are simply stoking hysteria for hysteria's sake.

The data is pretty clear that fatalities are down 8 to 10 fold from a peak of 3-5k/day to something like 350/day now. The medical system was not overloaded then and it will not be now.

The harping on cases versus deaths is pointless. All the supposed mitigation efforts essentially failed to include those idiotic masks people insisted on wearing. It is now an endemic disease. Even if the country averages 500 death a day permanently it would only be something like the fifth, or sixth, leading killer in a year.

It is simply time for people to get on with life.

Much of your post here is (political) opinion, also referring specifically to the US, and I'll leave it be. But when you describe masks as being "idiotic" with regard to pandemic control / preventing infection, you are simply wrong:

https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6549/1439
https://www.mpg.de/16926779/face-masks-sarscov2-transmission

(All sources dating from this year.)

But when you describe masks as being "idiotic" with regard to pandemic control / preventing infection, you are simply wrong:

from one of the links supplied.

The effectiveness of masks, however, is still under debate. Compared with N95 or FFP2 respirators, which have very low particle penetration rates (~5%), surgical and similar masks exhibit higher and more variable penetration rates (~30 to 70%) (2, 3).

Given the large number of particles emitted upon respiration and especially upon sneezing or coughing (4), the number of respiratory particles that may penetrate masks is substantial,

which is one of the main reasons for doubts about their efficacy in preventing infections.

Moreover, randomized clinical trials have shown inconsistent or inconclusive results,
with some studies reporting only a marginal benefit or no effect of mask use

Feel free to point out the "wrong"

Peacedog wrote:
It is simply time for people to get on with life.

Yes it is

Always find it strange the insistence of mask disregarding normal protocols for wearing them,
expecting the same protection if any from not.





When those most vocal about wearing them, having the power to enforce it on others, never seem to do so private
people tend to question whats going on.

Mmm , must be wrong

Stanford Study Results: Facemasks are Ineffective in Blocking Transmission of COVID and Actually Can Cause Health Deterioration and Premature Death

https://wsau.com/2021/04/20/stanford-st ... ure-death/

Did you hear about the peer-reviewed study done by Stanford University that demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that face masks have absolutely zero chance of preventing the spread of Covid-19? No? It was posted on the the National Center for Biotechnological Information government website,” NOQReport.com reported. “The NCBI is a branch of the National Institute for Health, so one would think such a study would be widely reported by mainstream media and embraced by the ‘science-loving’ folks in Big Tech.”

The study found: “The data suggest that both medical and non-medical facemasks are ineffective of viral and infectious disease such as SARS-CoV-2 and COVID -19.”

https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/n ... .%E2%80%9D

He Who Controls the Narrative Controls the People. Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past. — Geo. Orwell, 1984.

A interesting mix of moronic vaccine skepticism and maniacal ideology at work here--both of which keep repeating the same BS over and over, equally wrong every time.

It is completely meaningless to state that Covid is only the second, fifth, or tenth leading cause of death. It's a weak bid to minimize the pandemic.

The logic behind stating that deaths are down so we should just go back to living our lives reminds me of free-market-fanatsy-fanboys who denied the ozone crisis and then used the efficacy of the Montreal Protocol as "proof" that there was never a problem.

Deaths are down precisely because people didn't act like everything was okay. Treatments were developed, vaccines were invented and distributed, mitigation measures were enacted, etc...It is because of this that deaths are down.

Arguing against both the vaccines and masking (and other mitigation strategies) was always twisted, but at this point, it's also just plain stupid.

windwalker wrote:Mmm , must be wrong

Stanford Study Results: Facemasks are Ineffective in Blocking Transmission of COVID and Actually Can Cause Health Deterioration and Premature Death

https://wsau.com/2021/04/20/stanford-st ... ure-death/

Did you hear about the peer-reviewed study done by Stanford University that demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that face masks have absolutely zero chance of preventing the spread of Covid-19? No? It was posted on the the National Center for Biotechnological Information government website,” NOQReport.com reported. “The NCBI is a branch of the National Institute for Health, so one would think such a study would be widely reported by mainstream media and embraced by the ‘science-loving’ folks in Big Tech.”

The study found: “The data suggest that both medical and non-medical facemasks are ineffective of viral and infectious disease such as SARS-CoV-2 and COVID -19.”

https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/n ... .%E2%80%9D

He Who Controls the Narrative Controls the People. Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past. — Geo. Orwell, 1984.

Gee, that's funny, the link to the study in the fist right wing news article leads to...a removed link. Yup, it was wrong. It wasn't an NIH study, it wasn't from Stanford, and it wasn't even a "study." LOL! Get it together!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2 ... ff7c0a3fd7